Sleeping Through the Pain
by TheFullMetalAngel
Summary: Edward begins to loose hope for the future, when his wife, Winry, falls into a comma after an unsuccessful childbirth and their new baby daughter has slim chances of survival. Ed/Win. Rated T for safety. Read and Review.
1. Sleeping Through the Pain

A/n: So here is my new story and hopefully it wont turn out to be so bad. Please review if you want me to continue it and tell me what you thought.

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Sleeping through the Pain

Prologue

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_ "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no records of wrongs... It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails."

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"Brother, Brother?" Al lightly shook Edward's shoulder.

"Unhh," came the intelligent reply.

"You stay here all night again?"

Edward reluctantly opened his eyes to find himself sleeping in a chair, with his head lying on a white-sheeted bed. He didn't move right away, but continued to hold a frail and limp hand loosely in his own. Edward let his hand slip from hers and sat up slowly to find his brother hovering over him with a familiar worried look. With a yawn Edward replied, "It seems so," promptly slumping back into his chair.

"You should go back to your apartment and get some rest, not taking care of yourself wont help her get better."

Ed's eyes traveled to the sleeping form in the white bed, "It's been two weeks…and no sign of improvement."

"Brother, I think you need go away for a while, you been in this hospital too long. Between Winry and Rin, you haven't been able to-"

"I can't. I need to be here when she wakes up, I wont leave until I know Winry is okay." Edward cut Alphonse off stubbornly.

"But, you haven't gotten any real sleep these past couple weeks, and your not eating that much either. You have me and everyone else worried to death over you."

"I'm perfectly fine, you don't need to worry about me."

Ignoring Al's requests, Ed leaned over once again to the young woman sleeping, what seemed to be, peacefully, "Good morning Winry."

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Came the reply of the heart monitor, with a slow steady tempo.

He bent forward, softly brushing his lips across Winry's unmoving ones. He ran his fingers through her soft blond hair, tucking it behind her ear, lovingly.

Alphonse looked at his brother, his heart felt like it was breaking inside. But he couldn't allow his emotions to discourage him; he had to be strong for his brother. He stared at the two silently and wished with all his heart for Winry to get better. She looked so small lying in that bed, hooked up to so much medical equipment.

The door opened behind them and the doctor walked in with a grim expression. Edward didn't seem to notice the man's entry though. The doctor gave Alphonse a grave look telling him that something terrible had happened. He felt his heart stop momentarily, 'Oh God, Rin.'

"Mr. Elric," Ed ripped his eyes away from his wife and looked up to face the doctor, "Your daughter has…"

That was all Ed had to hear before he bolted down to where his baby daughter had been taken care of for the past fourteen days. In a matter of seconds he was standing in the hallway looking through the glass window, which separated him from his daughter. Inside the room, the doctor and nurses alike were working furiously, trying to save the young life that was so close to death. He didn't notice Alphonse and the doctor running up behind him, the words of comfort that people were speaking to him, the loud noises of those damn beeping monitors, or even the frantic commands of the medical staff, all he could do was watch in horror as he stood behind the glass. Once again he could not do a thing as the life of his baby daughter faded away before his very eyes.

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A/n: So like I said please review even though this chapter was really short. Oh and I self-edit all my stuff, so sorry for any mistakes. THANK YOU!


	2. Glimpse in the Past

Glimpse in the Past

_-About 7 Months Earlier -_

Winry sat all alone on her couch. The sun had set hours ago, leaving her now angry and concerned. She had hardly done anything after receiving the wonderful and life changing news earlier that day, other than expectantly waiting for a certain someone to return home. In a word or two she felt emotionally scattered. She could hardly contain herself.

She glanced over at the calendar on the far side of the room, trying to quell her growing impatience. Edward had even called her this time saying that he would be home on Monday. It was Tuesday, of the following week.

Whatever light remained faded into darkness, leaving Winry now sitting alone in the dark. She felt she would never get used to waiting, even with all she had to put up with over the years.

'He should be here by now. Why hasn't he come home?' Winry started to fidget in her seat. "Did something happen?"

Minutes passed to hours as she awaited his return, drifting in and out of restless sleep. At three o'clock she woke up again and looked at the clock with droopy eyes. "Three? Unh…"

She suddenly shot up from the couch, almost loosing her balance, and started to pace around the room. "He said he would be home by Monday! Where is he? Does he know how long he has kept me waiting? I can't take waiting anymore! Who the hell does he think he is, not being here when I have something important to tell him?" If Winry weren't so tired, she probably would have laughed at latter exclamation.

Winry stomped over to the front door, slammed her hand on the doorknob, and flung open the door, "Edward Elric get your sorry AHHHHHH!" Winry shrieked as the door revealed a dark figure standing on the porch. Whoever it was froze in their spot with their hand hovering over where the door knob should have been, so Winry did the only thing which came to mind; she grabbed her wrench and whacked the unknown person standing in the door way.

"Dammit! Why me?" Ed cried to no one in particular. "What did I do this time?"

Recognizing Ed's voice Winry flipped the lights on and saw the state alchemist holding his head protectively, "Oh hey," Winry said simply.

For some reason she wasn't so mad anymore.

"That's my hello? I've been gone for months and when I come back I'm hit in the head and get an 'oh it just you'."

"It's not my fault, I opened the door and you were just standing there, it freaked me out!"

"_Opened_ the door? You practically tore it off its hinges!"

"Excuse me tore? What am I some kind of animal?"

Edward opened his mouth to reply, but shut it quickly when he saw his wife's expression and the wrench still gripped tightly in her hand. '_Good decision,' _Winry said to herself.

The two stayed there for a moment, glaring at each other. But a smile soon broke through her angry features and she began to laugh hysterically.

"Now what?" Ed sighed, dropping his arm from his head. Winry slowly slid down the doorframe and sat on the porch, still laughing uncontrollably, "You just looked so funny…when you were…and your expression…and I cant believe you were actually standing there…" Winry tried to speak through her laughter.

"I'm glad you find enjoyment in my pain." He said sarcastically, but he couldn't help but smile. It was good to be home, well sort of.

"I'm sorry, it's just been one of those days. It's not really that funny anyway…" Winry calmed down slightly and patted the ground next to her, signalizing Edward to sit next to her. He plopped down next to her obviously too tired to care that they were sitting outside on the ground.

"Ed." Edward looked cautiously over at Winry, not quite sure what he should expect next. Would she yell at him for being a week late? Would she hit him again? Would she randomly start crying? Would she notice that his automail…

She threw her arms around him, causing them to fall on the porch, with her on top of him, "I missed you so much!"

He grunted in pain when he hit the floor, he probably reopened some wounds, but he didn't really care, he was just happy that to be back. "Oh, I'm so sorry!" She sat up quickly, but Edward pulled her back down on top of him and kissed her passionately.

Winry remembered that she still had to tell him _the_ news and broke the kiss reluctantly. She was nervous yes, but she was determined to tell him right when he got back from his mission. She sat up followed by Edward, who stared at Winry with a confused expression.

"I need to tell you something." Winry began, trying not to stumble over her words, but uncertainties and nervousness took control of her speaking abilities. "I," her mind went blank. "I um… I'm … I'm really cold, let go inside." Winry mentally berated herself, _'Just say it! It's not that hard.'_ She was just about to stand up and go inside, but Edward put his left hand to her face, making her pause. She was hiding something from him and he knew it, but he didn't know what.

"Winry," Edward kissed her softly, despite how unsettled he was becoming at the thought of oncoming bad news, "you can tell me anything." Winry looked into his eyes and took a deep breath. Filled with new confidence she started again, "Okay, I'm just going to say it." Edward stared at her, waiting…still waiting. As he waited, all sorts of scenarios began to run through his head. Most of which scared him to death.

"I'm pregnant." She said quietly. Edward didn't say anything for a while and from the looks of it he had trouble processing the information.

"D-Did you just say pregnant?"

Winry nodded. She was dreadfully worried. Rejection, abandonment, loneliness. Was that what her future would hold? She felt like she would cry.

"Oh thank God." Edward sighed out of pure relief.

"What?" Winry didn't understand his reaction in the slightest.

"Geeze Winry, I thought you were going to say that someone had died or that you've been having an affair with someone over the time period I was gone and wanted a divorce," He laughed, "Or, I don't know, that you had become terminally ill and wouldn't live for another month."

"How could you think any of that?" Winry couldn't help but think about how overdramatic he was. _'I guess he has lost his perceptive skills.'_ She thought humorously.

"It could happen."

Winry rolled her eyes, "Whatever."_ 'But an affair? Really?'_

Then Edward remembered what Winry had said earlier and went pale_. 'Are we ready for that? Am I ready for that kind of responsibility?'_ He was terrified at the thought that he would turn out like his own father, who practically destroyed his and Alphonse's childhood.

Winry saw his expression change to a frown, "Are you mad?" Her fears were coming true. _'He must hate me now!' _

Edward snapped out of his previous thoughts, "No! How could I be angry with you? Winry this is wonderful news, really! We are going to be parents and have a family. When did you find out? How far along are you?"

Edward looked genuinely happy, almost excited, if looked past his tired appearance.

Winry rested her head on Ed's shoulder, utterly relieved. _'Okay, so maybe I'm a little over dramatic too.'_

"I found out today actually and close to two months." She felt her own tiredness start to settle in as she could finally relax. He was home and safe. They were together again. She loved him and he loved her. Nothing could or would change that. No matter what direction their lives headed.

They sat silently together as exhaustion started to take over. "You want to go inside now?" Edward offered. But as she prepared to get up she noticed something. Winry pulled away swiftly and looked to his right shoulder.

"Wait a minute, where's your arm?" Winry said, grabbing onto the empty fabric.

"Heh, you know it is really a funny story…" He laughed nervously. And she want tired anymore.

"What have you done this time?" Ed gave her an uneasy smile. "You idiot! How could you? Do you know how much time and effort I put into this? Is it too much to ask…" Winry continued to rant on and on.

When they were younger Edward couldn't stop Winry's tirades until he was soaking in his own blood, but he had learned how to take control of the potentially deadly situation over the years.

He stood up, followed by Winry who was still reprimanding him. "Are you listening to me?"

"Every word." '_Always._' He smiled and pulled her to him with his one arm and kissed her again. Her anger dissipated in an instant and she melted into the kiss.

'_Works every time.' _He smirked.

'_Damn him.'_

A/N: Hey every one, I'm so sorry for not updating! I have excuses, but I'm sure you don't want to hear them... The next chapter will be current time again, although I plan on writing a few more of these past moments to add to the story. I'm not too sure about how this chapter turned out, I felt like it was somewhat scattered, missing something, not well written, OOC? I'm not sure. I know that it was a little short though... So please tell me if you thought it was good or not. I have no right to ask after such an extended period of time, but please review! Once again sorry for the long wait, I will post the next chapter sooner (hopefully!), and sorry for any grammar mistakes.


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